


Exorcise the Demons

by Milliadoc_Brandybuck, Ollie_Octopus



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angels, Demon Hunters, Demons, Exorcisms, Explicit Language, F/M, Female Hunters, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Ghost Hunters, Misgendering, Nightmares, Non-Binary Hunters, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Original Non-Binary Character - Freeform, Other, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, SPNFamily - Freeform, non-binary
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:55:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24670390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milliadoc_Brandybuck/pseuds/Milliadoc_Brandybuck, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ollie_Octopus/pseuds/Ollie_Octopus
Summary: Move over Winchesters, there are two new hunters on the block!Mina Nelson, a late-twenty-something woman from Virginia, and Ezra Emerson, a non-binary mac-and-cheese addict from Ohio, are the latest up-and-comers in the unlevel terrain of demon hunters. They both have a past, and they both have something to prove.After meeting under demonic circumstances many years previously these two have become thicker than thieves in their lives as hunters, navigating the uncertain terrain of ghosts, demons and evil whilst battling the demons in themselves. The Winchesters won't know what's hit them when they eventually cross paths.(Potential trigger warning: Misgendering language)
Relationships: Crowley (Supernatural) & Original Character(s), Dean Winchester/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 1





	1. Episode 1: Roots

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ollie_Octopus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ollie_Octopus/gifts).



> This is a collaboration fic by two friends who share a love for Supernatural just passing time whilst separated in Quarantine! As a result the writing style may change as it goes along - we'd love to know your thoughts <3

The gravel gnawed at the tyres of the ‘66 El Camino as it pulled up to the church. The night was harsh and cold, with the rain not unlike daggers against the skin. It was not the night for any self-respecting person to be out and about. Especially not around the old church, not tonight. Tonight was the night the hunters were in town.

“What is it again?” Mina asked as she climbed out of the car, her buckled boots biting the gravel beneath her feet. “Demon?” She tossed her dark curled hair over her shoulder and zipped up her leather jacket, shivering a little against the weather. Hermina Nelson was a beautiful woman in her late twenties, perfectly confident in her own tanned skin and the all-black outfit she always wore. She was a badass and she knew it, owning every move she made. This was nothing but routine to her, a day-job.

Mina began to move around to the trunk of the car, keeping her hazel eyes fixed on her partner-in-crime as they, too, got out of the Camino. This was a well-rehearsed ballet that by now they had perfected. Ezra nodded.

“Yeah, some priest as far as the paper said. Seems to be quite well known in the community, so this demon seems to have a thing for power. That makes four high-ranking members of a church in the past week.” Ezra was Mina’s opposite. They were shy and uncertain, with short white-blonde hair that was already tousled by the wind. They wore a simple red flannel and black jeans. Their staple black docs were scuffed beyond repair, but that ‘added to their charm’.

“Man I shoulda put some decent clothes on, it’s fucking freezing. Why couldn’t it just be sunny for once.” They said as they wrapped their arms around themselves.

“This is the East coast baby, sun doesn’t exist.” Mina widened her charcoaled eyes and rolled them as she popped the trunk and began to pull out the necessary arsenal from her perfectly packed and arranged trunk-of-treasures. Sometimes having OCD had its benefits. She threw an old Gatorade bottle filled with Holy water at Ezra who caught it expertly, then pulled another out for herself. She did the same with a hefty crucifix and the duffle bag of red spray paint, before finally taking up her own trusty pistol. She checked it was loaded with silver bullets before twirling it around her finger and tucking it into her waistband, slamming the trunk shut and winking at Ezra. 

“Knock, knock, it’s exorcist o’clock.” 

“Time to ding dong ditch this bitch.” Ezra laughed. The build-up was one of their favourite parts of a hunt.

“Man we should have our own TV show. The adventures of Nelson and Emerson, I can see it now.” Mina shook her head, “I don’t see dear old Rufus coming up with gold like this.” She drew herself up to her full height as they reached the bottom of the steps. Now was the time to be serious. She swept her hair up into the tie she always had around her wrist and arranged her expression. 

“How are we gonna do this? Pincer movement?” She pulled out a spray can and shook it. 

“Yeah, that’s probably the best way to get the sucker. Efficiency. The sooner this is over the sooner I get to eat.”

“Sounds like a plan. You know it’s your turn, right? I’m feeling pizza tonight.” Mina grinned. “I’ll draw the trap, you lure the fucker to it.” 

“I would literally die for a pizza right now.” Ezra paused. “It just had to be my day to lure didn’t it, aw man. Fine, let’s go.” They pushed their bangs out of their face, making a mental note to cut it later, and made a start towards the doors of the church. They were a sturdy oak and appeared freshly varnished. They were almost beautiful. Ezra pushed the doors open, they always forget how heavy they were, and was instantly met with the typical musty church smell. They looked back at Mina.

“Where do you reckon he’ll be hiding?” Ezra took care to whisper, they had to take the demon by surprise, or this hunt would get a whole bunch harder.

“There’ll be an office in the back. It depends how into ‘playing the role’ he is. My bet is we make noise and he’ll come. Let me draw the trap and I’ll give you the signal.” Mina spoke in a hushed whisper. She shivered but not from the cold outside. She hated the feeling that came with churches. All the memories. “I’ll head round to the confessional booths. There’s usually a big enough space round there.” 

“Copy that.” The two made their way deeper into the church, finding their positions. “I’ll go round the edges, that way I’ll see ‘em comin’.” Ezra drew the Holy water, preparing themselves for the inevitable encounter. God they hated being the lure. Why Mina insisted on taking turns, they’d never understand.

Mina watched Ezra disappear into the shadows and turned to go her own way to the right of the pews. Being in a church was bringing back feelings that she didn’t want to get into at present. She cleared her throat to focus her mind and block out the thoughts that threatened to intrude. She knew Ezra would be okay, they always were. Mina rounded the corner and found the perfect spot: nice and big, between the confessional booths and the altar. If she hadn’t been good at drawing perfect circles years ago, she certainly was now. She got to work with the red paint, vowing to cover the costs come morning. 

Ezra found the office without trouble. It was a small, plain room with the door left slightly ajar, though not enough for them to see in. They shot a glance to Mina, who seemed to be close to finishing the trap. One thing Ezra admired about Mina was her speed - she could paint a room of sigils and traps in seconds flat. Mina was easily the most natural hunter Ezra had met yet. They ducked behind a nearby pillar, not wanting to be spotted before they had received the signal. They couldn’t wait to smoke this bitch.

Mina completed the trap and threw Ezra a thumbs-up as the signal. She knew how Ezra hated being the lure, it wasn’t exactly a walk in the park, but they did it so efficiently that it meant they got these hunts done in record time. Mina shot Ezra a grin before skittering the empty can across the floor and taking her own place, hiding inside one of the confessional booths. As she shut the door slowly, leaving it ajar only enough to see what was happening, she steeled herself with the all-too-important words that she could sprout as easily as singing ‘Happy Birthday’. 

It was time. Ezra smiled to themselves, this was going to be fun.

“Hey! Come get me ya coward! By the way, that vessel looks shit on you, I’m far prettier. Actually, I’m offended you didn’t possess me first.” They darted out from behind the column and ran to the office door. “I’m talking to you dumbo! Or are you deaf as well as ugly?” They laughed as tauntingly as they could muster. The angrier this demon got, the sooner they could exorcise the Hell out of it… literally. Ezra continued to hurl insults and racing around the office until they heard the scraping of a chair and the squeak of a door.

“I suppose you think you’re funny.” A disembodied voice muttered. “You may be right though, this vessel isn’t quite what I’d call the height of fashion.” The priest appeared in the doorway. 

“Do you like games? I like games! Wanna play tag? I’ll let you be it first.” Ezra laughed again and zigzagged their way towards the trap Mina had laid. All they needed was Mina to recite the exorcism as beautifully as usual, and they’d be golden. Boy was this a piece of cake.

Mina watched as Ezra infuriated the demon enough for it to ignore the red paint on the floor. This was why Ezra made such a good lure, they knew just how to rattle the cage of the bad-guy. Ezra flew through and out the other side, shouting, “Now!” as the demon fell into the trap like clockwork. It roared with anger as it found itself unable to move and Mina took the opportunity to spring out of the confessional booth and began reciting like their lives depended on it. 

The demon writhed and shuddered as the words penetrated the skin of it’s vessel. It was working, just like always. 

Then it spoke, and Mina stopped in her tracks at its words. 

“You’ve both grown bolder since the last time.” It snarled.

Mina exchanged the briefest of looks with Ezra before the demon took advantage of her falter. It waved its hand and, despite the trap being near perfect, Mina was flung backwards and into the confessional booth, the door slamming shut behind her. The demon rounded on Ezra with a snarl on its unholy lips. 

“Remember me? It’s been a long time Ezra, too damn long.” There went their ‘foolproof’ plan. Why was this demon so strong? “You were always a far better vessel. So torn and conflicted, so full of emotion. I’ve always loved that weakness in humans, it makes them the perfect prey. You were always my favourite toy to play with it.” Ezra’s worst fear was confirmed. Mina and Ezra were just replaying the same case from the day they met all those years ago, the day Mina’s dad had died. 

“Ezra!” Mina shouted from where she was trapped inside the booth. “Ezra, don’t listen to it!” 

But it was too late, Ezra had opened their mind and let it in. Mina watched through the tiny slats as the demon took over her best friend. She was scared to finish the chant in case the demon simply killed Ezra. 

“It sure is nice in here, so comfy, so full of torment. It’s delicious. You’re even worse now than you were back then, guess you failed at recovery, huh? Just like you failed at being a woman.” The possessed Ezra cracked their neck to the side and stretched out, it seemed as though the demon intended on staying this time. They laughed. “Whoopsie! I’m not supposed to draw attention to that right? Or how you literally sold your soul to leave home. God, what a pathetic move. You just didn’t have the courage to run away or kill the sons of bitches. Makes me laugh every time.” The demon continued his barrage. Ezra was strong, they had learnt to be, but the demon was stronger. Ezra knew it wasn’t true, none of it was. They had grown, they weren’t that kid anymore. They had accepted themselves for all their flaws, the demon had nothing, no ammunition. 

“You sure about that kiddo? Does your friend know what you did? Does she know the truth? It was you who killed her dad. Her only family and you killed him. I was in your head you know, I heard your thoughts. Did you ever tell her how good it felt to get back at the religion it broke you?” 

Mina was silent, unable to find the words to describe her feelings. She began to spiral down into a pit of despair as she replayed thoughts. 

“Ah, rats! Guess that was a secret too, whoopsie.” It wasn’t like that, the demon was spinning tales. It thrived on emotions and human drama, but Ezra refused to give that to it. If they could fight it once, they could do it again. They would never have hurt Mina in that way, that night was not their fault, and never would be. Ezra fought as though their life depended on it (well, it kinda did). Gradually they were able to pull through enough to shout to Mina.

“Get this bitch out, he smells like dead people and it’s so damn gross!”

Mina heard Ezra’s voice ring out and pulled herself from her own dark thoughts. So what if this demon had made Ezra kill her dad? It was in the past and they had moved on. She tried the handle again but found it still locked, so, at the top of her lungs, she began to shout the exorcism chant. She knew that Ezra had control, the demon wouldn’t hurt them. 

“Audi nos!” She finished and black smoke erupted from Ezra’s open mouth. Ezra dropped to their knees as the confessional booth door burst open and Mina was freed. She dropped to her own knees beside Ezra and forced them to look at her. “Hey, you good?”

“Better now you’re here. Dude seriously smelt like somebody’s grandpa. You’re always right on time.” They winked at her. “Let’s go get that damn pizza already.”

Mina giggled and helped her friend to their feet, dusting off the red paint that had crusted on their knees. “You know, I’ve never been possessed. It doesn’t seem fun.”

“Oh, it isn’t.” came a sudden voice from behind them.

They whipped around, Mina pulling her gun from her waistband and pointing it at the slightly dishevelled looking man clad in a dark suit. He had an air of power about him, but also a sense of evil. 

“For fuck’s sake, what have I got to do to get some damn food?! Is that REALLY too much to ask?” Ezra let out an exasperated sigh.

“Who the fuck are you?” Mina demanded, ignoring Ezra’s plea and keeping the gun trained on the stranger. 

“Did they not teach you manners in whatever hole you came from?”

“Clearly not, seeing as I grew up without a daddy, can you blame me?” Mina snarled, not dropping her guard.

The demon simply shrugged and breathed out in a small laugh as though Mina simply amused him. “I’m Crowley, King of the Crossroads.” A crossroads demon? Why here? And why was that name so familiar? “You’re looking good Emerson, glad to see that trade was worth it after all. I must thank you, by the way, for sending my lackey back to Hell, he’ll be punished later.” Could this night get  _ any _ weirder? They’d just been possessed  _ again _ by the same demon from their childhood, and now the guy they’d sold their soul to was here? 

Mina dropped her guard for the second time this evening. She wasn’t sure she had heard the demon before but now here it was, confirmation. She lowered her gun and turned to Ezra, a frown masked on her face. Crowley smirked, clearly enjoying himself and the shit he was causing.

“Ezra?” Mina asked, her voice breaking a little. “What does he mean…what trade? When?” 

“I had to, I’m sorry. I was fifteen. I had to get out, you have no idea what it was like. It was my only way out, Mina. It was either sell my soul or die in there. I made a deal, I sold my soul in exchange for my freedom.” They looked worried at Mina, half-expecting her to fly off the handle.

“I understand.” Mina said softly, her voice heavy with understanding. There was rage in her eyes but it wasn’t directed at Ezra. “I suppose you’re here to collect?” Mina turned to Crowley, her rage flowing in his direction. 

He simply shrugged. “Not yet. But soon.” He turned to Ezra. He looked them up and down, before cocking an eyebrow flirtily and smirking. “Tick tock, pretty one.” 

And with that he vanished, leaving the hunters alone in the empty church with their own demons. They had a lot to talk about. 


	2. Episode 2: Branches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezra is struggling with the fact they have two years left until Crowley comes to claim their soul, and so they are determined to do something about it.   
> Meanwhile Mina goes out of state on a case and runs into a mysterious male hunter. 
> 
> Things'll never be the same again for either of them.

Mina cut the engine and sat back in the seat. The radio had been playing but the silence now rang out at a deafening volume. Mina glanced at Ezra in the shotgun seat and then back out of the windscreen. 

“So, er…” she cleared her throat, “We gonna talk about this crossroad deal or…?” She was tired and she just wanted her bed but that wasn’t going to happen until the elephant in the room had been addressed.

“Nope.” Ezra sighed. They didn’t want to talk about it, and why did they need to? That was eight years ago, it’s not important. So what if they made a deal? They had had more of a life in the eight years since they had made the deal than they did in the fifteen years previous. Ezra had accepted their fate, and made their peace. There was nothing to say.

“Really?” Mina looked them up and down. “You know you can talk to me. I had no idea you were even going through this.” She reached out and put a hand on Ezra’s. “We’ll find you a way out of it.” 

“Thank you, but it’s fine. Really. I’ve thought about finding a way out, but what’s the point y’know? It’ll only come back to bite me in the ass some other way.” 

“There are so many points!” Mina seemed like she was going to list them but instead she simply sighed. They would just end up going round in circles. “I’ll order pizza.” Mina said heavily, opening the door and climbing out. She had a million things she wanted to say to Ezra, wanted to plead with them. Instead, she vowed to find them a way out with or without their help. 

Ezra followed Mina’s steps and got out of the car. If they knew Mina, and they did, they knew that she would wait until they’d eaten before asking even more questions about the deal. They were anxious, but they knew they were gonna end up discussing it one way or another. Opening the door to their cabin, Ezra turned to face Mina.

“What pizza do you want?”

Mina and Ezra ate in comfortable silence, pushing the events of the day to the backs of their minds. Before long, Mina decided it was time for bed, it had been a long day. Ezra stayed up a little after her, contemplating ways to go back on their deal, before giving up. They cleared the kitchen and followed suit, deciding that the crossroads deal was tomorrow’s problem, sleep was the priority for now.

Mina was up bright and early as always, embodying the idiom of the early bird. She had knocked back three coffees by the time Ezra emerged. Mina waited patiently for Ezra to fix themselves a coffee from what was left in the pot and flop down opposite her on the table before pushing a stack of neatly organised and tabbed papers towards them, a knowing look on her face. 

“What is this?” They asked groggily. 

“Salvation.” Mina said, “Or… potential salvation. It’s everything I could find on demon deals regarding crossroads, decade-deals or selling your soul. And anytime that ‘Crowley’ showed up.  _ Id quod  _ more than I could read in the last three hours.” She tapped her nails on the pile. “Could be helpful.” 

“That’s… a lot. How long have you spent researching? And please tell me you don’t expect me to read that yet, you know I need at LEAST five coffees to be even remotely functional.” Ezra didn’t say it, but they were grateful. They just weren’t sure how to put it into words. Not just yet at least. Maybe there was a way out of this after all. Freedom and a soul.

Mina sat back in her chair and watched Ezra for a while. She didn’t know how to express how hurt she was that Ezra had kept this a secret for so long, had been suffering in silence. “Why didn’t you tell me?” She asked softly. It wasn’t anger or even hurt. It just… was. 

Ezra hesitated. They knew she was disappointed in them, and they weren’t surprised. Honestly? They’d be disappointed in Mina if it was the other way round. She deserved an explanation.

“It didn’t seem important. Everything has been amazing between us, and I couldn’t risk ruining that. It did cross my mind, but how do you even tell someone something like that? There’s never a right time for something like that. I can’t just come out and be like ‘by the way, I sold my soul to get out of a shitty orphanage’ over coffee and a cake. I just didn’t know how to tell you.” Ezra looked down, not able to bear the thought of even looking at her friend. “I love you, I couldn’t risk losing you over this.”

Mina blinked at them, a frown knitting her eyebrows together. 

“Ez…” Mina sighed, “I’m so sorry you never thought you could tell me. You gotta understand… to hear it from some jump-started pinstripe-suited purgatory reject… it kinda stung.” She shrugged. “But! It’s done now. There’s no looking back, right? Only forwards. To finding a way out of it.” She tapped the pile again. “Buckle up buttercup, you’ve got some reading to do. Best get that coffee on a drip.” 

Mina got to her feet and pulled her jacket from the back of the chair and swung it about her shoulders, looking as though she was heading out. 

“It’s not that I didn’t want to tell you, I promise. Wait -- where are you going? You can’t leave me here to read all this!” Ezra slumped in their seat. That was way too much paperwork for this early in the morning.

“I can and I will.” Mina grinned. “I’ve categorised it for you, all you have to do is skim it. It’s in your best interest.” Mina checked her cell. “We had a case come through…” Mina held up her hand to stop Ezra raising from their chair, “And before you make a move it’s only a haunting over in West. I’ll be in and out and back in a few hours. I might even bring pastries.” 

“Take me with you! I don’t wanna read.” They sulked, why should Mina have all the fun? And the papers were already categorised? What a damn nerd. Ezra loved it though. Mina’s compulsion meant that she needed to organise everything, and it came in so handy at times like this. She was the complete opposite of Ezra, who was very chaotic in how they operated. They had to admit though, it was nice not to spend hours hunting for things they had lost. Mina kept a tight ship, and everything had its place.

“Don’t make me tie you to that table.” Mina said on her way out of the door. “I’ll be back before you know it!” 

“Kinky, I like it.” Ezra winked at her. “You better make damn sure you bring me a pastry, or I’ll never forgive you.” They joked, faking a dramatic frown.

Mina rolled her eyes. “You and demon boy will probably get on real nice.” She grinned. “I might even bring you two.” 

She winked, and with that she was gone with a flick of her dark hair, the door slamming behind her and the engine starting. 

Mina better bring them two, they’d need it after all this reading. Ezra couldn’t see a way out of the deal. None of the research Mina had done even hinted at a successful reclamation of a soul. Unless Crowley was going to give it back to them out of sheer goodwill (unlikely for a demon, come on) they had no idea what they were going to do. Ezra ran a hand through their hair, man was there a lot here. Mina was always so thorough. Ezra was the kind of person who would stop searching if it didn’t turn up on the first page of a Google search. How Mina had the patience for this they’d never know. Ezra stayed hopeful, despite the odds being stacked against them. Who knows, maybe Mina had found something that could help. They made another coffee before continuing to read on.

****

Two hours later in the next state over, somewhere just past midday, Mina pulled the Camino up outside the ramshackled shack indicated by the online forum. It looked like the perfect dwelling place for ghosts. It really was going to be a routine case, in, out, home in time for Buffy reruns. Yet Mina couldn’t shake the thoughts in the back of her mind about Ezra. She knew Ezra had their reasons for selling their soul but it didn’t stop Mina wanting to take it all back from them.

Since Mina’s father had died she had been alone in the world. Ezra was all she had. She couldn’t lose them, especially not without a fight. They definitely could not leave her alone. For the first time in a long time Mina felt like she wanted to cry. She swallowed hard to stop herself, to prepare herself. This was a routine case but it wouldn’t be if she let her emotions get the better of her.

Mina steeled herself for the task ahead, sweeping her long dark curls up into a loose bun and sliding her cell into her pocket, pulling out the salt at the same time in a well rehearsed ballet. She put an ear to the door of the abandoned shack and heard the telltale rummaging inside. It really was a routine: a reported haunting of an old shack that scared the neighbours. Mina decided to tackle it alone whilst Ezra thought about the bigger picture. This was often the norm. 

In one movement she kicked open the door and began sprouting the exorcism chant that she knew so well she could say it backwards if necessary. 

And she was met with not a ghost, but a dishevelled looking human man in an oversized brown leather jacket and blue frayed jeans. He pulled a gun from somewhere around his waistband and Mina ducked as he fired at her. 

****

It had been hours, and Ezra still hadn’t found a way out of that damned deal. Their mind kept circling back to Crowley. It was crazy, and it was stupid, and Mina probably wouldn’t approve, but they decided to summon him. It felt like the only way, there was no harm to asking right? Truth be told, Ezra hadn’t stopped thinking about Crowley. He was cute, and he was powerful. They liked that in a man. 

Ezra made the necessary arrangements and summoned the King of the Crossroads, praying that he’d answer. For several minutes there was no answer. Had they slipped up somewhere? They should have waited for Mina, she was so good at all this, she would have nailed it. Ezra flopped to the floor and drew in a deep breath. If this didn’t work, what were they going to do? They felt selfish for selling their soul. Ezra only had two years before the hounds would come for them, and tear Mina’s life apart,  _ literally _ . They couldn’t leave Mina, what would she do? Would she be okay? The regret and reality of the situation was really starting to take hold of them.

“I was wondering when you’d call for me, my pretty.”

****

“The hell!” Mina demanded as he realised she wasn’t a ghost and hastily lowered the pistol. 

“It’s only salt.” The man said in a voice that was equal parts apology and anger. 

Mina raised an eyebrow as she looked him up and down before they both spoke. 

“Who the Hell are you?!” She asked in perfect unison with the stranger. 

“Dean Winchester is the Hell I am, I asked you first.” Dean said demandingly.

“You asked me at the same time, smart ass...” She pursed her lips, considering not giving him her name, “Hermina Nelson.” She folded her arms, the salt and Holy water still clasped in her ringed fingers, “What are you doing here?”

“It’s perfectly normal for a single man in his late-twenties to hang around abandoned old shacks.” Dean mirrored her motion, expertly feeding her the line. “What are  _ you  _ doing here.” His green eyes flickered to her hands, “With salt… and Holy water.” 

Mina looked at her hands and then frowned. He was very handsome and she felt her shields dropping. She spoke her response before she could stop herself. “Are you saying a single woman in her mid-twenties,”  _ Damnit.  _ “can’t go on a religious pilgrimage.” Her amber eyes flickered as she smirked. 

Dean copied her expression. “You’re here for the ghost, aren’t you?” 

There was a heavy pause in the air as Mina realised his knowledge was equal to hers. She scanned his handsome face and caught the edge of a rosary hanging from his jacket, a Bible in the lining, and a lighter clasped in his fist. She looked to the ground and saw the salt circle plain as day. 

“Are you a hunter?” She asked, her eyes flicking back to his face. 

His eyebrows twitched, impressed. “Are you?” He cocked his head. 

Mina’s smirk grew. “No, I’m here for a children’s party.” She said. She tossed him the Holy water, which he caught in one hand. “Alright Winchester, show me what you’re made of if you’re gonna join  _ me  _ in  _ my  _ hunt.”

“Last time I checked...” He said, floundering, “I was here first.”

She simply flipped him the bird in the classiest way possible.

Dean’s eyebrows hit his hairline as he took in the ballsy huntress before him. She was hot. He liked hot. He liked her. 

_ Mina.  _

****

Ezra looked up in shock at the man in front of them. They scrambled to their feet.

“You’re here! You came. Wait, why did you come?” They were now suspicious, why would Crowley answer a call if they had nothing left to give?

“You think I’d miss an opportunity to see you again? You’re a delight.” He smirked. 

“You need to help me, please. I need my soul back, I can’t leave Mina, please.  _ Please. _ She needs me as much as I need her. I’ll do anything for it back, anything.” They sunk to their knees, everything overwhelming them. They began to tear up. “I should never have sold it, but I had to, I had to get out of there before that place killed me. I’ve had a life that I never would have had. But I can’t go, and I can’t find a wait out, there’s no lore for it, nothing. How can I get it back? Please tell me it isn’t gone, please tell me it’s possible.” By this point, Ezra was sobbing, and panic starting to set in. They were terrified. Crowley observed the situation and for the first time in millennia, he felt  _ emotion _ . This poor kid shouldn’t have had to sell their soul, but it was their choice, and the deal was done. But at the same time, he couldn’t just give it back, that wasn’t the done thing. The panic was worsening, but with Ezra in the wrong mindset, a new deal wouldn’t be possible. Crowley knelt in front of Ezra, placing a hand on their shoulder.

“I like you, Emerson. How about another deal?” A thought had struck him. Maybe there was a way. 

“What kind of a deal?” Ezra was anxious, what was Crowley up to?  
“I have some incompetent demons that aren’t always doing their jobs. The deal? You watch over them and ensure they collect the souls, and we’ll talk about your soul.” Crowley let slip a soft smile.

“That’s all I have to do? That’s it?”

“That’s it kiddo. I’ll be in touch.”

And then he was gone, leaving behind a both confused and relieved Ezra on the floor.

****

When the hunt was done Mina found herself standing awkwardly next to her car. Dean hadn’t been a bad hunting partner. Not as good as Ezra, but not bad. They had got rid of the ghost in record time and had even found time to get to know each other. She knew he had a younger brother named Sam. She knew he had been a hunter basically since he was four years old. She knew his favourite band was Led Zeppelin.

And she also knew she had an inescapable crush on him.

“Well. This has been fun, Winchester.” Mina said with a thump of her fist to his leather jacketed arm.

“Indeed, Nelson.” Dean grinned at her. “We’ll have to do it again sometime.”

“That would mean I need your number, and you know in our line of work...”

“I already put my number in your phone.” Dean winked at her.

Mina’s hand flew to her jean pocket where her cell had been all evening. “How the...”

“Not my first rodeo sweetheart.” Dean grinned. He pulled his key from his own pocket and began walking to the black Impala that was so concealed in shrubbery that Mina had simply not noticed before. “So I’ll be expecting your call?”

Mina held her cell in her hand and watched him walk away, flabbergasted. He had shut himself into his car before she had even had a chance to process what had just happened. She shook her head to clear it as he pulled away. She would not be calling him. She wouldn’t.

She growled to herself and climbed into her own car. Ezra had been alone long enough, and Mina had to tell them about her encounter.

_ Would she?  _

****

The headlights were the first thing to signal Mina’s return, followed by the key in the door and the smell of cinnamon buns. Mina looked weary as she entered. It was dark out and she had left just before noon. 

“Hey.” She said, her voice heavy with exhaustion. 

“Whatever happened to ‘I’ll be back in a few hours’, huh?” Ezra beamed, it was good to have her back.

Mina tossed them the pastry bag and checked her watch. “This is a few hours.” She flopped into the chair. “What have you been doing, anyway? Did you get through these?” She picked up some of the papers. 

“Yeah, an easy-ish day to be honest. Drank some coffee, read the papers, summoned Crowley, ate the leftovers... the usual. How’d the hunt go?” They opened the bag and drooled. “You got my favourite! You’re seriously the best, I’m gonna have to keep you.”

“The hunt was routine, met a guy…” Mina frowned and looked at Ezra so fast her neck cricked. “I’m sorry… did you say you summoned Crowley?!” 

“Yeah, no biggie. Man, these buns are good! Where in the world did you find them? They are incredible!” Ezra kept munching, they really loved these buns. “So, this guy. Who was he? Was he cute?”

“Incredibly, but we’re not talking about him, we’re talking about Crowley. What did he have to say?”

“Nothin’ much, he called me pretty again which was cute. These demons don’t deserve the bad rep, they’re lowkey sweethearts. And yes, we’re talking about your mystery man, spill it.” Just thinking about him gave them butterflies.

“His name is Dean Winchester.”  _ And he was the sexiest man she had ever met:  _ but that wasn’t important right now _.  _ “What did he have to say about the deal?” Mina pushed, forcing her blush deep down.

“Eh, nothin’ much. We might have a way to break the deal, but no promises. I think he was flirting though, which is odd. I don’t even know the guy ya know?” They flopped onto the couch. “So, tell me bout Dean. What’s he like? I’ve heard he’s a good hunter.”

“He is a good hunter. Well… he’s alright.” She cleared her throat. “Flirting?” Mina resisted the urge to point out Dean was very good at that too. “Well… did you find anything in the research that might get you out of this deal?” Mina frowned, the weight of what Ezra was saying hitting her. “Wait. Crowley was flirting… he’s a demon. How did that make you feel?”

“Why can’t we talk about Deeaaannn.” Ezra whined.

“Because!” Mina shook her head and rolled her eyes but she was smiling. “I don’t do dating. There isn’t time in this line of work.” Her smile faded and she picked up the nearest sheets of paper. “We have to get you out of this.” She yawned. She had just driven hundreds of miles and hadn’t eaten since breakfast. 

“Ugh, whatever. You’ll get with him eventually.” Ezra flashed Mina a knowing smile. She had fallen, and she had fallen hard. “Crowley… I like him. I like a man who isn’t afraid to flirt. He said he likes me and we’ve made another deal. I might get it back. What do you wanna watch?”

“It’s Buffy tonight. He likes you?” Mina was now deflecting talking about Dean at all, but the fact she was smiling to herself whilst fiddling with the edge of her cell was telling enough. 

“That’s what he said. He said he liked me, and I’m pretty and he gave me the sweetest smile. All I have to do is make sure his demons are collecting souls, and we’ll talk about getting my soul back.”

Mina wasn’t really listening anymore. She had her phone open and a small smile on her face. It was just as well. She probably would have had things to say if she had been listening. She had fallen hard for this dopey hunter from Kansas. It was a problem, and it had to be dealt with. 

Ezra sighed and laid back on the couch, flicking the TV on in time for their nightly routine. Their mind was filled with the demon they felt they were becoming hopelessly in love with. It was a problem, and it had to be dealt with. 

But not yet. 


	3. Chapter 3: Fallen Leaves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezra finally comes clean to Mina about their nightmares and the real reason they sold their soul.

Ezra was laid in bed, shaking. They had just woken up from another nightmare and were trying to calm themselves down enough to go back to sleep. The nightmares hadn’t bothered Ezra for a while, they tended to only strike on bad days, but they had been coming thick and fast since Ezra’s talk with Crowley. It was also the same nightmare, a return to the orphanage, the fear, the abuse. It was the day they sold their soul. It was draining and took so much energy from them, yet Ezra was wide awake, unable to return to sleep. 

_ They are fifteen and frantically searching for their socks. They were here just now, where had they gotten to? This wasn’t good, this wasn’t good at all. Ezra had taken them off to help relax, the material was far too scratchy and uncomfortable, but now they were going to be late to the afternoon prayers and that was not a risk they could take. Ezra had been late three times this week, and it was only Tuesday. They had been beaten after every incident, as was standard, but God only knew what would happen if they were for a fourth time. They searched above and underneath their bed, their drawers, their backpack, everywhere they could think of, and there was still no sign of the forsaken things. Footsteps came pounding down the hall, Ezra had mere seconds to find them and put them on with their shoes to even possibly escape the torture. They spotted the little black socks tucked underneath their journal just a second too late. The Mother Superior burst into Ezra’s room as they stood, frozen with fear.  _

_ “You are late again M___! How very dare you turn your back on your Father and treat him with such disrespect. How dare you treat me with disrespect. It is clear that the punishments for being late are not working on you, you stupid girl.”  _

This part always stung. No matter how hard Ezra tried to pretend it didn’t happen, being reminded of their deadname hurt. It was a constant reminder that they would never escape their past, or who they were born as. They would never escape the pain of not belonging.

_ “Please, I---” A sharp slap struck their face before they even saw it coming. _

_ “DON’T INTERRUPT ME. I am your Mother Superior and you will listen to me. I do not care for your excuses, and you need to be taught a lesson, which I will be delivering myself.” Ezra’s stomach dropped. No no no, this couldn’t be real. Not the Mother Superior, anyone but her. She was cruel and had a reputation for it - the stories of her punishments spread around the orphanage like a wildfire.  _

_ “I was just getting my socks, I wouldn’t have been that late---” Fingernails being dug into their wrist told them what their mistake was. _

Next, the Mother Superior dragged Ezra down the hall, and into the fateful room. Ezra shivered. Just thinking about what had happened filled them with panic and sheer terror, even after years of therapy. 

The sound of the beating was the thing that stuck with them the most, even now. The constant pounding on their flesh….

Ezra must have dozed off again because they were woken by a knock on the door. They knew Mina hadn’t done it on purpose but the rhythm was instantly triggering and echoed the nightmare. 

“Yo, lazy bones.” Mina called through the door, “You getting up sometime this century or am I finishing all the pancakes?” Ezra sat up and rubbed their face, trying to steady their breathing. They definitely need the coffee and pancakes.

“I’ll be right out, please save me some.” They called back.

“I’m not making any promises,” Mina replied and Ezra could tell from her tone she had a mouthful. “I’ll put a pot on.” Ezra heard Mina’s heeled boots on the wooden floor as she walked away. Ezra got dressed, throwing on a random oversized shirt and some black skinny jeans, before running a hand through their hair. It resembled a bird’s nest more than it did hair, but it’d do. This was going to be a long day. They dragged themselves out of their room and moped to the kitchen, sinking into the nearest chair.

“What time is it, and where on earth is the coffee?”

Mina obligingly pushed a mug of coffee and a plate piled with blueberry pancakes towards them and then sat back in her own chair. “Spill it.” She said, her eyes burning into Ezra. Ezra gratefully took the coffee, nursing it in their hands. 

“Spill what? I love this coffee too much, I’m not letting it go.” They fake pouted. 

Mina drummed her nails on the tabletop impatiently. “We have adjoining rooms, Ez. I can hear when you’re having nightmares. Are they bad again?” Concern was knitting her eyebrows together. 

“Whaaat? Nightmares? Pffft. That was just a youtube video.” Ah, the art of question dodging, man were they a pro. They knew Mina wouldn’t buy it, but hey, it was worth a try right?

“Don’t make me slap you.” Mina said. She was dangerous when she wanted to be, and Ezra knew it better than most. “Was it the same one?”

“Ugh, fine,” God was she a force to be reckoned with. “Yes it was, yes I’m fine, no it doesn’t bother me. It’s all fine, I’m sure it’s just a one time thing.” There. That should have covered everything. They began eating their pancakes, hoping to avoid any more questioning.

Mina watched them eat and knew she shouldn’t press further, knew how much it affected Ezra. But she was concerned for her friend. She knew a lot of what had gone on in the Church home, but something told her she didn’t know all of it. She just wished Ezra would tell her everything. Ezra started to get lost in their thoughts, the nightmare continuing to replay, though the coffee had worked its magic and made them more alert.

_ When Ezra was finally allowed to return to their room, they were broken. Broken in every way possible. They were bruised and bleeding, and they were sure a few ribs had been cracked. Both eyes were black, and thick blood still poured from their nose. This was the worst beating yet, and they were promised it wouldn’t be the last. They were punished for being late, for ‘pretending’ not to be a woman, for being an abomination. They were punished for being an orphan, for not being the smartest, for betraying God. They were punished for everything the Mother Superior could find some twisted justification for, and Ezra was broken down. They sat in a crumpled mess on the floor, unable to stop the tears from flowing. They’d be hit for that later. Ezra had never been in so much pain. Sure they’d had bones broken before, but this was unimaginable, and no-one was there to help them. They had never felt so lost and unwanted, and they knew they had to get out. If they didn’t leave now, they were going to die here, and there would be no-one to miss them.  _

“Ez.” Mina said, knowing Ezra had disappeared into their own mind. “I wish you would just tell me about it. What is it that’s so bad?” Ezra hesitated. Where did they begin?

“Everything. It was a living nightmare and I wish I was exaggerating. It’s… it’s just a lot. I don’t even know where to start. So much happened there, I don’t know what to say. What do you want to know?”

Mina sat forward with her elbows on the table and her hands stretched towards Ezra’s, ready to take their hand if needed. She knew how hard this was, but it had to be done sooner or later. They weren’t in the business of keeping secrets. Secrets killed in their line of work. “Well, I know that they beat you. I don’t think you’ve told me the extent of it. Or why. You know, it might help to share it?” Mina gave them a small smile. 

“They did it for every reason they could think of you know? Literally anything. They hated me there, I was some freak abomination. The orphaned child that resulted from an affair. Not quite holy, you know? Then when I grew up and started figuring myself out and pushing my name, they hated me more, for defying God, and the way He created me. They said I turned my back on him by refusing to play into their stupid gender roles. 

As for the extent of it? We’re talking broken bones, scars, hushed trips to the hospital claiming I ‘fell’, or that I wrestled with the boys. It started out just verbal, but the older I got, the more they upped the ante. It escalated pretty quick.” They drank some more of their miracle juice. Whoever invented coffee was a genius, it was really helping soothe their nerves.

Mina blinked at them incredulously. “I’m so sorry, Ez. I had no idea. I don’t even think my dad did when he used to visit. Was it just you?” 

“I mean, they punished other kids too, but not to the same degree, or as often. The Mother Superior seemed to have it out for me, a lot of it happened in secret. I don’t think even the Sisters knew how much it happened. Your dad wouldn’t have known, all their tracks were covered, no-one could have known if things were amiss.”

“No, or I know he would have done something.” Mina swallowed hard. “I’m so sorry Ezra. I hope they’re burning in Hell. Is that why you made this deal?” Ezra nodded, their voice becoming almost a whisper.

“They would have killed me, I had to get out. I was lucky I didn’t die the day I made it, that day was the worst it had ever been, and it’s the day that I always dream about. I found this dusty old book, and it mentioned a crossroads deal, it said you could get anything you wanted. It was my only option.”

_ Ezra wanted a chance at life, at starting a family, at feeling loved. They wanted friends, they wanted to know what laughter felt like. They wanted freedom. They would do anything to be free from their prison. Ezra pulled themselves to their bed as they tried to think of an escape plan. The windows were impossible, they were barred with cast iron to prevent runaways, and they were ever so slightly too small for that reason. The main door was always locked, and the only key kept by the Mother Superior. That was an obvious no-go. There was no way that Ezra would be able to get that key from her, she guarded it heavily. The hallways were patrolled by the sisters, and they were sure to punish them if they were caught out. The more they thought about it, the more they were sure that they were stuck.  _

_ Ezra sighed. There was nothing they could do, so they decided to at least try to take their mind off the pain. They heaved themselves to their pile of books. The majority were stolen from the nun's personal library and hadn't yet been registered as missing. Ezra loved to read, but they weren't permitted to read anything but the Bible. There were only so many times they could read such a book, Ezra had needed more.  _

_ They came across a book they had stolen from the basement just a few days ago. They had been caught, but the book remained undiscovered. It was an old, leatherbound book, with a series of cracks showing its age. The front was adorned by a large silver pentagram. It had looked interesting and was almost certainly banned. This book would do. Ezra found their way back to their bed, clutching it to their chest. They began flicking through the odd book, noting odd symbols and references to demons and the devil. What on earth was this? There appeared to be spells and potions, and various rituals that could be done. Their heart began to race. There was a ritual that could be done, a way to summon a demon. The book stated that a crossroads deal could be made, and you could get anything you wanted, with the price not having to be paid for ten years.  _ **_This was it._ ** _ This was the break they needed. It needed to be made at a crossroads, but Ezra hoped the basement would work. The Church was situated on an old crossroads, with the basement being the very centre, it could work. It  _ **_had_ ** _ to work.  _

_ Ezra waited until they knew it was dark, and the hallways would be their emptiest. They had always been quite thin and light, and so they were able to make barely a sound as they made their way to the basement, ducking into the shadows every so often. Slipping through the basement hatch, Ezra let out a breath they didn’t realise they were holding. They locked the hatch from the inside, praying that no-one would try to come down. They followed the instructions to the letter. They located a box and chanced on an old group photograph, containing Ezra. They tore the photograph so that only Ezra was the only focus, and placed it inside. The other two items, graveyard dirt and a bone from a black cat would be harder. Ezra searched the basement regardless, it appeared to be home to a number of occult items, so there was a chance of the remaining items being found.  _

_ It took a while, but eventually, Ezra found the missing items in a dusty chest, tucked into a corner. The box was complete. The book said that the box had to be buried, but all that was available was some old soil that was occasionally used for gardening. It would have to do. Ezra set the box on the floor and piled the compost on top of it. All they had to do now was wait. _

_ “My name is Crowley, and I am your crossroads demon. I believe you have a deal for me, Miss Emerson?” A smartly dressed man appeared, making Ezra jump. They didn’t think someone would appear that fast, he seemed to come from thin air. What kind of magic was that? Ezra scrambled to find their words. _

_ “I’m --- I’m not a miss, Mister Crowley, but I do want to make a deal.” They swallowed thickly, there was no going back now. The confusion was evident on Crowley’s face. _

_ “If you aren’t a girl, then what are you?” Crowley asked suspiciously, eyeing the child in front of him. They were tall, but lanky, not unlike a stick that was threatening to snap. They were hurt, the blood staining the tips of their crudely cut white-blonde hair, and tear tracks painting their cheeks. It was rare a child made a deal and even rarer that the person making a deal looked so rough. This was a first for Crowley. He didn’t like making deals with children, they never understood the consequences, but unfortunately, that was part of his job. _

_ “I’m Ezra.” The way this child spoke sparked his curiosity. They were so confident, yet so unsure. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say that this child had been through Hell and back.  _

_ “What do you want, Ezra? I can give you anything.” Crowley awaited an answer, Ezra hesitating for a moment. _

_ “I want you to help me escape.” Escape? This was certainly a new one. Crowley hadn’t been on the job long, but he’d never seen this before. Usually, kids wanted a pony, or no homework, not an escape. He knelt in front of Ezra. _

_ “Why do you want to escape? Aren’t you happy here? This is your home, is it not?”  _

_ “They scare me here. They hurt me, Mister Crowley.” Their appearance made sense now. “I’ve never been happy here, it’ll never be my home. You have to get me out, please. If you don’t, they’ll kill me, I know they will. They hate me here, they’ll never let me be happy.” Fresh tears began to fall. If Crowley had a heart, it would have broken. This kid must be really desperate to sell their soul to get out, it had to be bad.  _

_ “Do you know what the cost is, little one? It’s a big choice to make and not one you should make in a hurry.” Shit, he really didn’t want to do this. _

_ “I’ll give you anything. The book said I don’t have to pay for ten years, so when you get me out I’ll get a job and I’ll save up, I promise. I’ll save all my money for you.” The poor kid didn’t even know the price. Crowley chuckled softly.  _

_ “It doesn’t cost money, it costs your soul.” Crowley paused before continuing. “It’s really quite horrible I’m afraid. I can get you out, that’s the easy part. In ten years time, hellhounds will come for you, and they’ll tear you apart and drag you to Hell. You give your soul to us. It’s really painful.” This kid was strong and brave, they could survive here, he really didn’t want to take their soul. _

_ “That’s okay. Nothing will hurt as much as I hurt now, you can have it.” Ezra stood firm and resolute. They were sure about this, and they would not back down. Crowley was taken aback. Ezra didn’t care if they died? And lost their soul too? Crowley couldn’t leave them here, he couldn’t live with himself if they died, when they had a chance at ten years of an abuse-free life. _

_ “You’re definitely sure? You only get ten years of freedom.” _

_ “I’m sure. That’s ten more than I’d have here.” _

_ “Well, Emerson, you have yourself a deal. I’ll get you out and to someplace safe, and in ten years I’ll claim your soul.” He still wasn’t comfortable, but it was for the best. “All that’s left is to seal the deal.” Panic gripped Crowley, deals were sealed with a kiss, no exception. Why that was a thing, he’d never understand, it was so weird. _

_ “How do we seal it, Mister Crowley?” Ezra asked, sensing his discomfort. _

_ “I’m afraid all deals are sealed with a kiss. I know, it’s gross.” Ezra ignored his statement, and cautiously leant into Crowley and gave him a hug. _

_ “Thank you for saving me, I’ll never forget it.” They gave Crowley a small peck on the lips, giggling at the tickle of his beard. The deal was signed and sealed. Ezra was free and would be safe. _

Mina took Ezra’s hand to bring them out of their memories. 

“I don’t blame you for what you did. I know you had to do it.” Mina smiled at them reassuringly, but there was a look behind her eyes. “Do you think Crowley would take it back?” She asked with that look of determination on her face, the look that Ezra knew all too well. She meant: ‘do you think we can make Crowley take it back’. 

“I hope so - he did say that we’d talk about it. I scratch his back, he’ll scratch mine, that kinda thing. I’m not sure if he’ll definitely give it back, but we can hope. Any plans for persuasion?” Ezra winked.

“Well.” Mina suddenly got to her feet and grabbed the keys to the Camino. “Only one way to find out. How far is the nearest crossroads?” 

“I think there’s one a couple miles from here, shouldn’t be far at all.” They laughed at her impatience. 

“What are you waiting for? Neck that coffee. I’m driving.” Mina grabbed her jacket and was at the front door before Ezra could stop her. 

****

_ After Crowley had found a safe place for Ezra to stay in Virginia, far enough from Ohio that they shouldn’t be found, he returned to Hell. The child had intrigued him, and in the coming months and even years after, he had found himself checking on them, and making sure they were safe. Souls could be collected early if the person happened to die before the deadline, but Crowley didn’t want that to happen to Ezra. He felt oddly protective, wanting them to live as long as they possibly could. Crowley chuckled at the irony of a demon becoming a guardian angel. He swore at that moment, that he would never let anything happen to them again. _

Even now, Crowley was in Hell wondering the events of that night. He thought of Ezra and their soul as he held it. It was bright, and pure, and it should never have been taken. However, a deal was a deal, and nothing could be done. He was largely bound by strict rules, only Agnes, Queen of Hell, really had the power to give back souls. They were a good kid, and no one should have to sell their soul for safety, yet here they were. Crowley sighed, he wanted to give it back, but how? Was it even possible?

  
  
  
  



End file.
